Biplane aeroplane.



Referenca' A. L. LEATART.

. BIPLANE AEROPLANE.

f I APPLICATION men MAY2.1910.

I l, 1 97,505 Pa-tentedsept. 5, 1916.

@ross Referen@ A'. L. vLEATART. BIPLAIIE AEROPLANE.` APPLICATION FILED -MAY 2. ISIO.

Pam- Q11 sept. 5,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 App1ieation1edMay2, 1910. SerialNo. 558,881.

j v.iuNiT'nn sT Armrive'roiiA L. LEATART, er Los ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

ATns PATENT onirica. i

BIPLAN'E AEROPLANE.

. To allwhowtz'mayconcemf- -i i' fof the-heavier'than'airtype, and the object thereof is to construct a'biplane-aeroplane having a maximum degreeof stability which fwill be capable '.Ofbeing maintained in the 'atmosphere atv `any desired elevation, and 'which-cambe" readily 4directed inf-'anyl dev; "sire'd cou-lise.

In the accompanying vdrawings forming a fpart'of this application, Figure 1 is a top plan view partly broken away of my improved machine. Fig.` 2 is a side elevation ofthe same. g Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged front elevation withthe front plane 'and' steering apparatus removed for clearnessyof' illustration.f"-fFig. Llisa rear end elevation showing the steering wings ina steering position in full lines, and in a soarvling position in dotted lines. `Fig. 5 is a front end fragmentary elevationv of the main plane.' Fig.'6 is the side'elevation of the parts shownl inFig. 5. `Fig. 7 is av fragmentary end elevation of the front and rear "steering planes,and tail planes. Fig. 8 is ia' side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. '7: Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail of the steering post.

f'In the drawings the'frame of the main l plane 10 isformed of the front bar 11fand the upper rear bar 12 and lower rear bar 13. The upper bars' are connected by longitudinal bars 14. At yequal distances longitudinal upper ribsv 15 are secured to the front bar 11 and to the upper rear bar 12, and projject a short distance to the rear thereof. In-

termediate the upper ribs are the lower ribs 16, which are also secured to the front bar 11 and to the lower rear bar 13. These ribs are covered with a fibrous covering such as silk or canvas. These ribs are bowed upwardly, the upper ribs having a greater curvature than the lower ribs, as best shown in Fig. 6, and with their covering form the 'main plane. Each portion which at its rear -includes a triangle with the apex at the top I call a longitudinal section. Immediately below the main plane and of like constructon is the-breast plane 17, the outer ends centers of these springs.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

of which commence at a distance from the ends of the mainplane and extend downwardly and inwardly to the center of the machine, as best shown in Figs. V2 and 3. The upper ends of the breast plane are secured to the main plane wing bars, and the lnner portions are secured to the body frame 18. Upon the bottom of the body frame are secured runners 19. Upon the bottom end timbers' 18 are secured flat springs 21 by clips 22 which 'encircle the ends of the springs. A truck 23 is secured to the The wheels 24 of this'truek support the body when starting and 'also whenA alighting if the machine Comes `down squarely on the ground.

Secured to the body frame and projecting i i therefrom lis the tail frame 2,5, the top of which is covered by longitudinal sections 26 of a similar Vconstruction to the longitudinal sections of the upper main plane, except that the ribs thereof are straight and not bowed, and the rear portions end in the same verjtical plane. To the bottom of the tail frame are secured iiat springs 27, byclips 28, which surround their front ends.A These springs normally project at their free ends a short distance below the frame as best shown in Fig. 2, and carry a truck 29, which supports the rear end of the machine when on the ground. At the top and on each side of the tail frame are the triangular wing frames 30 which are in shape right angled triangles as best shown in Fig. 1. f In these frames are pivotally mounted at 31 and 32 the tail pieces 33. These tail pieces are also formed 'of longitudinal sections which are triangular in cross section at the rear end as best shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The rear rails 34: and 35 of these tailV pieces are connected by vertical bars 3G. To the lower inner corner of these wings'are secured operating cables 37 and 38 -which run over pulleys 39 and 40, which are mounted on the tops of the rear vertical timbers of the tail v4frame 41 and 4:2 and run thence to pulleys L13 and 44, and thence to the steering post 4:5 and are attached to the ends of the upper cross bar 45h. These wings are also provided with cables i6 and L17, which are secured to the upper inner corners of these wings and pass downwardly over pulleys at the bottom of the tail frame, one of which pulleys 48 is shown in Fig. 2. They then pass forwardly over proper direction changing pulleys and are secured to the lower cross bar 45 of the steering pest. It

will be understood that when the Vsteering post is rotated in one direction the inner corner on one side of these tail wingsl is elevated and the inner corner of the other wing is depressed as shown in full lines in Fig. fl. lVhen the steering post is rotated in the re' verse direction the movements of the inner corners of the wings are reversed. The steering post is revolubly mounted in a block 62, `(see F ig. 9.) which block is `pivotally inounted in timbers G3 of the body fra-me so that the post can be oscillated as well as ro-` `iwhich are triangular in cross section at theV rear end as the other longitudinal sections,

but the ribs and the rear ends lie in the same vertical plane. Y There are two of these front wings and they are trapezoidal -in shape, as :best shown in Fig. 1. 'They are pivotally lmounted in the front portion ofthe frame l.at 52 and 53 so as to oscillate on their longer side. They are provided with wooden bars n54 running'to a cross bar 45h secured to the vsteering post so arranged that the rear ends of the wings can be either elevated or depressed at the will of the operator. The .body frame carries the engine 56, which is preferably a gasolene engine of any approved type, and the propeller 57, which is driven thereby. The propeller is arranged to rotate at the rear of the body frame.

lThe rear end of the outer lower ribs at v.each end of the main planel are preferably 'disconnected from the lower rear bar 13 v'and a cord '64 is attached to the free end of each of these ribs and runs over direc- :tion changing pulleys one of which 61 attached to bar 13, is shown in Fig. 3 and over tached to bell crank foot levers 65 secured to the body frame. Normally in flight these outer lower ribs would be against the top 1bars as shown at the right in Fig. 3, but can -be brought to the position shown in dotted -lines by the aviator at any time he wishes. This would be desirable in case a gust of "wind tipped the machine, or in case of turn- `ing by bringing either of these ribs to the position shown in dotted lines more resist- 'ance would be provided on that side, and equilibrium would be more quickly obtained by such change.

. It will be observed that in my construc- .tion the forward edges of all the wings and plane surfaces are straight lines and that the rear edges of all the wing and plane surfaces, in vertical cross section area, are triangular. By this construction the front v'edge when lin horizontal flight cuts through the air and the sides of the triangular rear portions gradually increase in depth and fvfwidth which depresses a portion Vofthe air passed through thereby lifting the machine,

and at the same time gives an uneven pressure upon the air, and that the unevenness of pressure is thesame in'each longitudinal section which gives it greater transverse vstability than if the surfaces were smooth. v'Another advantage of my construction lies in the fact that the rear ends of the longitudinal sections of the main plane and abreast plane are, not only triangular in vertical 'cross sectional area, but terminate .beneath the sections on gradually increasby diminishing the tendency toeddy above the niain plane. It will be observed that -by my construction, and the Apeculiar way s -in which the tail pieces and front steering wings are mounted and operated that I have fvery great control over my machine, and --that it can be easily steered in any direction, either upordown, or right or left. It

will alsor be observed that I can quickly counteract the tendencyof the machine to tip to either side, by throwing vthe tail piece von the lower side downwardly, and `the front steering wing on Athe same side upwardly, and thereby bring the machine back `that side than straight surfaces would have.

This effect is further heightened by the'.tril angular shape of the surfaces. The parts [of the frames are also properly-braced by .stay wires not numbered. other direction changing pulleys and are at- Having described my invention what 4I claim is: f v

1. In an aeroplane a main transverse plane having the front edge thereof a straight -line and the rear edge of a plurality of an- :triangularly' .when viewed- .from .the top, l :ftherebyallowing the airto escape outfrom ing lines, instead of-on a single line, theiethe under side of the main plane intermediate the ends thereof, said planes having their front edges composed of straight lines and their rear edges of a plurality of an gula-1' lines, thereby forming a plurality of triangular shaped troughs opening downwardly.

4. An aeroplane comprising a transverse main plane, a V-shaped breast plane secured t0 the under side thereof intermediate its ends; a tail plane; tail pieces at the sides of the tail plane, all composed of longitudinal sections having straight front ends and angular` rear ends, thereby forming a plurality of triangular shaped troughs opening down- Wardly; and front steering wings; and means to control the 'movement of the tail pieces and front steering wings.

5. In an aeroplane the combination of a main plane, a breast plane; a tail plane; tail pieces; front wings; with a steering post operatively connected with said tail pieces and front Wings, said steering post being mounted to oscillate and rotate.

6. In an aeroplane a main transverse plane having the front edge thereof a straight line and the rear edge of a plurality of angular lines, thereby forming a' plurality of triangular shaped troughs opening downwardly, the outer troughs at each end of said transverse main plane being collapsible by virtue of the lower portion of said troughs being detached at their rear ends and said troughs being adjustable to their norma-1 position.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 22nd day of April, 1910.

ARLINGTON L. LEATART.

Witnesses: s

G. E. HARPHAM, S. B. AUSTIN.

' y(Jopie: of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each,' by addressing vthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

